Sulfur chemistry in crop protection

Abstract

This review aims to give an overview of the significance of sulfur-containing compounds in chemical crop protection. The main sulfur-organic agrochemical compound classes are presented, and sulfur-containing natural products which exhibit pesticidal properties are also described. The special role of sulfur in propesticide action is explained. The certain advantages of replacing an isocyclic or N-heterocyclic ring by a sulfur heterocycle are demonstrated by means of different isosteric relationships. Some special contributions of Syngenta and its legacy companies to crop protection-related sulfur chemistry are shown.

Keywords:

• Sulfur
• Sulfur-organic compounds
• Crop protection
• Agrochemicals
• Herbicides
• Fungicides
• Insecticides

Acknowledgement

The author is very grateful to Roger G. Hall and other colleagues at Syngenta for helpful and stimulating discussions.